Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro Jr. held talks with US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine on November 5 to advance bilateral defense cooperation. The meeting occurred shortly after the launch of Task Force Philippines aimed at enhancing deterrence in the South China Sea. Discussions focused on interoperability, information sharing, and joint disaster response efforts.
On Wednesday, November 5, Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro Jr. received a courtesy call from United States Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine at the Department of National Defense headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. The discussions highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the Philippines-US defense alliance, coming just days after the two nations unveiled Task Force Philippines on October 31.
The task force, announced by Teodoro and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during a meeting of ASEAN defense ministers in Kuala Lumpur, seeks to reestablish deterrence in the South China Sea and improve crisis response readiness. As part of this, the two defense chiefs also finalized an Alliance Readiness Action Plan outlining priorities for the next two years, including capability enhancements and expanded joint military activities with regional partners.
According to a Department of National Defense (DND) statement, the visit underscored the 'sustained momentum of key leader engagements and the enduring Philippines–US defense alliance.' Teodoro and Caine reviewed progress on defense initiatives and explored ways to further operationalize bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Key topics included expanding interoperability between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and US forces, bolstering information-sharing mechanisms, and improving joint humanitarian and disaster response operations.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a 'robust and mutually beneficial defense partnership anchored on shared values, regional stability, and the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region,' the DND added.
Caine expressed condolences for the six Air Force personnel killed in a helicopter crash in Agusan del Sur on November 4 and offered US support for relief efforts following Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi). On Thursday, Caine met separately with AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., who thanked the US for its consistent assistance in humanitarian and disaster response. The AFP described the engagements as emphasizing 'shared commitment to enhancing regional resilience, strengthening disaster response capabilities, and safeguarding peace and security.'